Tom started to do so, modestly, but Black broke in
angrily at points in the narrative.

“The principal thing that I have against Mr.
Black,” Tom said, “is that he spoiled
all my drawing work of this morning.”

“Yes; but how did I come to do it?” insisted
the newcomer. “You pushed me against your
drawing table.”

Tom started with astonishment.

“My friend,” he remarked, “Baron
Munchausen never had anything on you!”

“Careful, Reade! Don’t pass the
lie,” ordered the chief engineer sternly.
“I shall look fully into this matter, but at
present I’m inclined to believe that you’re
more at fault than is Black. Return to the tent
and start your drawing over again.”

There was a smile again on Tom’s face as he
turned back to make his spoiled work good.

Mr. Thurston went back to his inspection of the ponies.
Later, the chief engineer was able to pick up some
details of the trouble from Jake Wren, who had seen
Black reach for his revolver.

“Understand two things, Mr. Black,” said
the chief briskly. “In the first place,
it is not expected that the engineers of this corps
will find any real cause for fighting. Second,
I will tolerate no pistol nonsense here.”

Then he went back to Tom Reade and spoke to him more
quietly.

“Reade, if Black doesn’t turn out to be
a valuable man here he won’t last long.
If he is a good man, then you will find it necessary,
perhaps, to use a little tact in dealing with him.
Did you notice what snapping black eyes the man has?
Men with such black eyes are usually impulsive.
Remember that.”

“I never thought of that before, sir,”
Tom admitted dryly. “I really didn’t
know that people with black eyes are impulsive.
This I do know, however, people who are too impulsive
generally get black eyes!”

CHAPTER IX

“DOCTORED” FIELD NOTES?

There was no more trouble—–­immediately.
When the other engineers heard of the row—–­which
news they obtained through Jake, not from Reade—–­they
soon made it plain to ’Gene Black that Tom Reade
was a favorite in the corps. Black was therefore
treated with a coldness that he strove hard to overcome.

In the matter of being a capable civil engineer ’Gene
Black speedily proved himself efficient. Assistant
Chief Engineer Blaisdell soon reported at headquarters
that the new member of the corps was an exceedingly
valuable man. Black was therefore placed at
the head of a leveling squad that obtained the field
notes from which were to be estimated the cost of
making excavations in several cuts that must be made
ere the coming tracks could be laid.